Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 12, 2003

LOT 370

Courvoisier Fréres, Chaux-de-Fonds, No. 91478, circa 1870.Very fine 18K gold and enamel diamond-set hunting-cased keyless minute-repeating pendant watch.

CHF 18,000 - 22,000

EUR 12,500 - 15,000 / USD 13,500 - 16,000

C.Four-body, "bassine et filets", covers with translucent dark blue enamel over engine-turning, front decorated with diamond-set flower bouquet, back with diamond-set rosette, gold hinged cuvette. D. White enamel, Roman numerals, outer minute track, pressed sub-seconds. Gold "Louis XV" hands.M. 31 mm. (14'''), nickel, damascened in rosette, 31 jewels, straight line calibrated lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with Breguet balance spring, wolf-tooth winding wheels, repeating on gongs through activating slide in the band.Signed on the cuvette.Diam. 39 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3 - 6 - 21
Movement: 3*
Dial: 3 - 6 - 01

Notes

Courvoisier FréresWas established in 1770 by J. Robert who took his son-in-law Louis Courvoisier into partnership. It changed names several times; in 1842 Henri-Louis Courvoisier and his younger brother Philippe Auguste named it Courvoisier Fréres. They also took other brothers into the partnership. After the death of Henri Edouard in 1882 the name again changed to Courvoisier & Fils. The company specialized in high quality watches. When the City of La Chaux-de-Fonds needed a present for the Prussian King Frederik William IV, they entrusted Courvoisier Fréres with the making of it. It was reportedly the "thinnest watch in the world".